Developing Teaching Presence in Online Teaching
Foundations and Strategies
Just
a few words for an introduction
Teaching presence in online
education encompasses a) course design, b) discourse facilitation, and c)
direct instruction
Foundations
of Teaching Presence
Course Design and Administration
As
pointed out by
●
The
primary goal of online courses should be to cultivate higher order thinking and
reflective learning among students (without leaving the teacher out of this
reflective equation). On-site learning is not the same as studying online, and
we just don’t want learners to parrot answers without reasoning their answers.
We want them to use the language productively; we crave for seeing learners
working with bellows, anvil, and hammers to make sense of what they are
acquiring as part of their language development.
●
Clear
alignment between course objectives and instructional design is essential for
effective administration, understanding that administration within this context
stand for the way the course needs to be taught within a restrictive or open
schedule for synchronous classes, with cognitive interaction with platform
content, use of extra materials, and in preparation for communication class
activities -in a language learning context-. This alignment is not a willful fancy
but a way to contribute to the construction of a course backbone.
●
Deep
questioning should be integrated into course materials to stimulate critical
thinking. Imitative speaking, where learners parrot what they hear, or
intensive speaking, where teachers just want to evidence how accurately
students use grammatical and lexical units, should be avoided to give room to
interactive speaking, where we have students engaged in more naturalistic
conversations truly producing language. This is another little nuance that can
make the difference when it comes to language learning.
●
The
PIM model (the Purpose Interaction Method) has to be present to provide a
framework for designing course activities and tasks that promote active
engagement and deep learning whether the student is in class or working on
their own to continue deepening their target language assimilation. PIM is
deemed to be catalytic and ready for triggering good results when students are
in breakout room activities or when doing their homework on their own.
Discourse Facilitation
When
it comes to discourse facilitation, that is -interaction among course
participants (student-student, student-teacher, or teacher-student)-, instructors
must keep in the lookout for the following assemblage of ideas to guarantee
student understanding on what to expect from their instructor in terms of
participation in in-class discussion, production, speaking, etc. activities.
●
Active
participation and visible engagement from instructors are crucial for fostering
a supportive online learning environment. Breakout room activities are for
teachers to monitor what learners are assimilating and how that content is
being assimilated. Instructors need to “clearly articulate how they will
participate at regular, predetermined times”
●
Instructors
should establish clear expectations for their involvement in communication
tasks
●
Consistent
teaching presence ensures proactive guidance and scaffolding to support student
learning. Consistent teaching absence triggers the opposite effect, leading to
discouragement and students dropping out of courses. Instructors’ absence takes
shape and substance: the students’ idea that their teacher disappears and then
has no feedback to provide learners on how well they performed a task.
●
Lack
of instructor presence can lead to disengagement and superficial discussions
where student participation is minimal and pointless, hindering the development
of critical thinking skills among students and of true consolidation of
language content: grammatical and lexical units. If instructors don’t harness students’
full potential and critical thinking skills, it cannot be expected that the learners
themselves would do it. Students do need to be motivated through the teaching
presence.
Direct Instruction
How
do you plan to have your learners cognitively deal with course content? Ask
yourself this question and consider the following in your answer to imminently avoid
dire repercussions:
●
Understanding
the instructional design of learning tasks is essential for instructors to
effectively fulfill their role when presenting content, when practicing it with
learners, and when promoting free use of the language and students’ life
experiences.
●
Roles
within breakout discussions, such as starters, provocateurs, and summarizers, must
be clearly defined to promote meaningful and quality interaction. In the absence
of these roles, don’t expect much from learners who barely participate in class
activities.
●
Teaching
presence extends beyond direct instruction, encompassing the facilitation of
discussions and the promotion of deeper learning experiences. Your teaching
presence transcends class time and can be perennial in platform activities and
homework.
Strategies for Strengthening
Teaching Presence
It
needs to be noticed that course design and administration, discourse
facilitation, and direct instruction are essential elements to bear in mind
when planning production and communication in-class breakout room activities or
collaborative tasks. Yet, there you have some possible strategies that can be
applied to strengthen teaching presence.
●
Establish
regular and visible participation in course activities, including breakout room
discussions, role plays, and any other learning task. Though teachers cannot
monitor all groups’ performance, it is wise to work with 50% of students in one
activity, and then monitor the rest in another production activity.
●
Provide
clear guidelines for student engagement and interaction, emphasizing the
importance of critical thinking reflection. Before students are sent away to
work with peers in breakout rooms, make sure what their role is and what it is
expected of them at the end of a task.
●
Foster
a sense of community and collaboration through proactive facilitation and
support. Being present and monitoring student performance is a way to create
this sense of community. As an instructor, be proactively present to aid
students you know may be struggling with course content. Or better yet, do work
with them in a separate breakout room.
●
Incorporate
interactive elements into course design to encourage active participation and
deeper learning. Projecting a digital book is not exactly what should be labeled
as interactive. There may be innovative uses of technological resources to
encourage student participation and foster their deep learning of new
grammatical and lexical concepts.
●
Seek
feedback from students to continuously improve teaching presence and course
effectiveness. Learners are indeed a great source of information to reflect on
one’s participation in online classes, so why not ask them to help with their
own insights.
Conclusion
Developing teaching presence in
online education requires intentional design of course production activities,
proactive facilitation, and ongoing reflection on the teacher’s side. By
prioritizing course design, discourse facilitation, and direct instruction,
instructors can create engaging and meaningful learning experiences that
promote critical thinking and true language assimilation among students in
online settings.
Final Reflective Activity
By using
this rubric, you can assess your teaching presence in online education and
identify areas where you excel and areas that may require further development.
Continuously strive for improvement to create engaging and meaningful learning
experiences for your students.
Teaching
Presence Self-Assessment Rubric
Instructions:
Reflect on
your teaching practices in online education and rate yourself on each criterion
below. Use the following scale:
Novice: Limited or no implementation of
the criterion
Developing: Some implementations but
improvements are needed.
Proficient: Consistent
implementation with satisfactory results.
Exemplary: Advanced
implementation leading to exceptional outcomes.
1. Course Design and Administration
a) Align course objectives
with instructional design to promote critical thinking and reflection.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
b) Incorporate deep
questioning techniques to stimulate critical thinking among students.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
c) Ensure clarity in course
structure and materials to facilitate smooth administration.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
d) Utilize the PIM model
(Purpose, Interaction, and Method) for effective course design.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
2. Discourse Facilitation
e) Establish clear
expectations for instructor participation in forum discussions and learning
tasks.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
f) Demonstrate proactive
guidance and scaffolding to support student learning.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
g) Foster a sense of
community and collaboration through consistent teaching presence.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
h) Ensure instructor presence
triggers higher-order thinking skills among students.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
3. Direct Instruction
i) Understand the
instructional design of learning tasks and fulfill your role effectively.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
j) Clearly define roles
within online discussions to promote meaningful interaction.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
k) Extend teaching presence
beyond direct instruction to facilitate discussions and promote deeper
learning.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
4. Strategies for Strengthening Teaching
Presence
l) Regularly participate in
course activities and provide visible engagement.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
m) Establish clear guidelines
for student engagement and interaction, emphasizing critical thinking and
reflection.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
n) Foster a culture of
feedback and continuous improvement in teaching presence.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
o) Incorporate interactive
elements into course design to encourage active participation and deeper
learning.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
5. Overall Reflection
p) Reflect on your overall
teaching presence in online education and identify areas for improvement.
|
Novice |
Developing |
Proficient |
Exemplary |
References
Anderson,
T., Garrison, D.R., & Archer, W. (2001). Assessing Teaching Presence in a
Computer Conferencing Context. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks,
5(2), 1-17.
Pawan, F., Wiechart, K.A., Warren, A.N., & Park, J. (2016). Pedagogy and Practice for Online English Language Teacher Education. Alexandria, Virginia: TESOL Press.
Developing Teaching Presenc... by Jonathan Acuña
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